BODY BRUSHING – THE BENEFITS OF ADDING THIS TECHNIQUE TO YOUR DAILY BEAUTY ROUTINE.
We brush our teeth and our hair daily, we don't think twice about facial exfoliation or occasionally using a body exfoliator in the shower. But, have you ever thought about adding dry body brushing to your beauty or health routine? Dry body brushing can be easily incorporated into your pre-shower or post-shower routines and believe us, those precious few minutes that you spend doing it, will amount to numerous health benefits, both inside and out. Keep reading to get the lowdown on how dry body brushing will improve your skin this Summer.
What is Dry Body Brushing?
Dry brushing is the manual use of a firm, natural bristle brush on dry skin. The technique can be used at home before or after showering, or in a spa environment, as part of massage and body treatments. Recognised for it's numerous health benefits, dry brushing is invigorating, stimulating and detoxifying for both the body and mind.
Why Dry Brushing is important?
The skin is our body’s largest organ, integral to the elimination and detoxification process. It is thought to be responsible for excreting nearly a third of the body’s daily impurities. Body brushing is one of the most effective ways to promote your lymphatic system, thus helping your body metabolize toxins more efficiently, discourage fluid retention and can even help with the appearance of cellulite. According to Gayle Kelly, VOYA Sales and Training Executive, dry brushing your skin for just a few minutes each day can also make a big difference to skin health, revealing luminous, softer and more even-toned looking skin. It is a great way of seeing results and getting skin in peak condition quickly.
When and how to brush?
Body brushing couldn’t be quicker or easier. For a few minutes (try to aim for between 3 and 4 minutes) before your morning shower grab your brush and beginning at the toes, work upwards on the legs in long, firm strokes, working towards the back of thighs and bum to keep the appearance of dreaded cellulite at bay! Brush the stomach in an anti-clockwise movement to aid digestion and continue up the arms towards the heart. Any type of brushing or exfoliation should be gentle and should never break the skin, we recommend choosing a brush with medium-soft cactus bristles, like we use in VOYA's natural exfoliating body brush.
Dry brushing will help to remove the layer of dead skin prior to application of your body oil or moisturiser, allowing the product to be absorbed quicker and more effectively. If you forget to brush before your shower, you can also use the brush after showering by adding some body oil to the brush to maximise the benefits of your chosen body moisturiser.
Benefits of Dry Brushing
1. Lymphatic Support
The lymphatic system is a major part of the body’s immune system. It is composed primarily of lymph vessels, nodes and tissues. When the system is working effectively it functions to filter out toxins, detoxify and regenerate, thus helping to maintain a healthy immune system and giving the body the opportunity to heal itself. The lymphatic system tends to be stagnant and needs to be moved often, as many of the body's lymph vessels run just below the skin, regular dry brushing can help to stimulate the normal lymph flow within the body and thus detoxify naturally.
2. Exfoliation
The process of dry brushing helps to loosen and remove dead skin cells, thus naturally exfoliating the skin and resulting in a smoother and more even toned complexion. In addition, by brushing the skin for a few minutes each day, it allows your chosen moisturiser or body oil to penetrate more effectively into the skin, thus allowing your skin care products to work much more efficiently.
3. Prevent the Ingrown hairs
Did you know that regular brushing also encourages cell turnover? If you’re partial to waxing, shaving or laser hair removal then dry brushing can be very effective at keeping those pesky ingrown hairs and clogged pores at bay.
4. Boosts energy levels
Dry body brushing can help create a healthy blood flow and speed up the transportation of both oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells and tissue. In turn this helps to increase collagen production within the skin. As blood flow increases and circulation is stimulated by the brushing action on the skin, it lends the body, skin and mind a much-needed energy boost. This is why brushing in the morning is recommended as opposed to the evening.
5. Reduces the appearance of Cellulite
In a recent BBC documentary “The Truth About Looking Good” a team of female volunteers and researchers at the University of Sunderland found that dry brushing saw an improvement in cellulite of 26 per cent. Dry body brushing is also said to suppress the formation of varicose veins and improve skin discolouration.
VOYA’s Exfoliating Body Brush made with Natural Cactus Bristles
Our Body Brush is made using natural cactus bristles which stimulates blood flow, bringing nutrients and oxygen to the surface of the skin. It gives skin an invigorating workout by getting the lymph system moving and helping to disperse any trapped toxins without being too harsh.
By combining Body Brushing with our award-winning Body products, you increase their efficiency, by removing the layer of dead skin cells prior to application so that the product can be absorbed quicker and more effectively. The VOYA body brush comes in an organic cotton bag and so is ideal for continuing daily brushing on the go.